Major Bible Themes

By Lewis Sperry Chafer

Chapter 13

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: HIS PERSONALITY

The Godhead subsists in three Persons -- the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Having in previous chapters
considered the Bible teaching concerning both the Father and the
Son, it yet remains for us to consider the Bible teaching concerning
the Holy Spirit. This and the four following chapters are assigned
to this subject. In teaching the fundamental truths relative to the
Holy Spirit, special emphasis is always required on the fact of His
personality. This is due, no doubt, to the effect produced through
the divine arrangement by which the Spirit does not now speak from
Himself or of Himself; He rather speaks whatsoever He hears (Joh
16:13. Comp. Act 13:2 with Eph 4:7), and He is said to have come
into the world to glorify Christ (Joh 16:14). In contrast to this,
the Scriptures represent both, the Father and the Son as speaking
from themselves and of themselves, not only with final authority and
by the use of the personal I, but they are presented as being in
immediate communion, cooperation, and conversation -- the One with
the Other. All this tends to make less real the personality of the
One who does not speak either from or of Himself. This reserve on
the part of the Spirit may account in a measure for the fact that
some creeds have slighted the Person and work of the Spirit;
treating Him as though He were a mere influence or emanation from
God. The corrective for this error and the preventive against it is
the due consideration of all that the Bible teaches and implies
relative to the Person and work of the Spirit.

I. THE SPIRIT'S PERSONALITY IS INDICATED IN THE SCRIPTURES

1. Since the Spirit is said to do that which is possible only for
a person to do:

(1) He reproves the world, "And when he is come, he will reprove
the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (Joh 16:8).

(1) The Father sends Him into the world (Joh 14:16, Joh 14:26),
and the Son sends Him into the world (Joh 16:7).

(2) Men may vex the Spirit (Isa 63:10), they may grieve Him (Eph
4:30), they may quench (resist) Him (1Th 5:19), they may blaspheme
against Him (Mat 12:31), they may lie to Him (Act 5:3), they may do
despite unto Him (Heb 10:29), they may speak against Him (Mat
12:32).

3. All Bible terms related to the Spirit imply His personality:

(1) He is called "Another Comforter" (Advocate), which indicates
that He is as much a person as Christ (Joh 14:16-17, Joh 14:26; Joh
16:7; 1Jo 2:1-2).

(2) He is called a Spirit and in the same personal sense as God
is called a Spirit (Joh 4:24).

(3) The pronouns used of the Spirit imply His personality. In the
Greek language, the word spirit is a neuter noun which would
naturally call for a neuter pronoun and in a few instances the
neuter pronoun is used (Rom 8:16, Rom 8:26); but more often the
masculine form of the pronoun is used thus emphasizing the fact of
the personality of the Spirit (Joh 14:16-17; Joh 16:7-15).

II. THE SPIRIT IS ONE OF THE PERSONS OF THE
GODHEAD AND AS SUCH IS COEQUAL WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON

1. He is called God. This fact will be seen by comparing Isa
6:8-9 with Act 28:25-26; Jer 31:31-34 with Heb 10:15-17 (Note, also,
2Co 3:18, R.V., and Act 5:3-4 -- "Why hath Satan filled thine heart
to lie to the Holy Ghost? ... thou hast not lied unto men, but unto
God"). Though the judgments of God have fallen so drastically on
some who have lied against the Spirit (Act 5:3) and though men are
evidently not permitted to swear in the name of the Holy Spirit and
though He is called The Holy Spirit, it is certain that He is not
more holy than the Father or the Son; absolute holiness being the
primary attribute of the Triune God.

Through meditation on the Word of God and through the experience
gained by trusting the Spirit for His power, His guidance, and His
instruction, the believer may come to realize the personality and
sufficiency of the Holy Spirit, the importance and value of which is
beyond all estimation.

QUESTIONS

1. What has tended to discredit the personality of the Holy
Spirit?

2. What is the corrective against all false theories concerning
the person and work of the Spirit?

3. Name eight activities predicated to the Spirit which prove
that He is a person.

4. Name the proofs that He is a person which are based on His
relation to other beings.

5. What are some of the titles by which the Spirit is
designated which prove His personality?

6. Is it any discredit to the personality of God that He is
called a spirit?

7. What are the proper pronouns to be used in speaking of the
Spirit?

8. a. What is the gender of the word Spirit in the Greek
language?

b. How has this affected translations?

9. Indicate important passages which assign absolute deity to
the Holy Spirit.

10. Who was punished for lying against the Spirit?

11. a. Is the Spirit more holy than the Father or the Son?

b. Are men permitted to swear in
His name?

c. Do they swear in His name?

12. Indicate the Scriptures wherein the attributes of God are
assigned to the Spirit.

13. Indicate the Scriptures wherein the Spirit is said to
perform the works of God.